Fluidity
by aparnamalladi
The great thing about the initial stages of putting a film together is the fluidity. The possibilities are endless and everything is up in the air and uncertain. Commitments are still at the word level, nothing on paper really except I guess the screenplay.
Later when things get more concrete the possibilities start to diminish and choices start getting made for you instead.
Pierre Assouline come by today to Hyderabad. He is Arati Misro’s contact from Cannes and he liked the screenplay of ‘Anushree’ and sees the potential. He comes from International Sales and has a perspective to filmmaking that is complete. he currently stays in Mumbai for half the year and Paris the other half.
Had dinner with Muktesh Rao Meka, Kevin Kevi and Pierre at ‘The Water Front’ restaurant overlooking the tank bund necklace road. The view was grand and the food was nice. I was a bit edgy, I wanted everything to fall into place right away and want to know everything. I need to have more patience. I saw how the various elements of my film would have to be set in order to give it the best chance to succeed, not just at the creative and artistic level, but also at the commercial level. Pierre aslo talked about having marketing built in from the beginning of the film instead of waiting after it’s done.
Muktesh had some great ideas on how to use casting and to create traction for the film locally. I am really getting to see the beginnings of setting a movie for a win. To take a particular film as a unique project and treat it as such. I learning so much and know that I have a lot more to go. This is just the tip of the iceberg.
Tomorrow, Pierre and I will roam around Hyderabad and see the sights. He suggested I take my film into more outdoor locations to let it breathe and as soon as I got home I texted Beena Gera my new writer on board. I am flying to Mumbai on Friday to stay with her and really work on the screenplay and incorporate the suggestions Pierre had. Also I want to introduce Pierre to a potential investor in Mumbai. I look forward to Mumbai because I have a very focused goal and I love time enclosed focused goals. They force me to get results and I come out flushed with creativity. Everything recedes to the background.
Building my film brick by brick. That is how it always happens. By the time I get to production I have travelled the Sahara and the stakes are so high. Everything becomes so significant. I need to watch out for that.
I can smell what’s coming like a wild animal. It’s wild.
xoxo,
Aparna
